Comparing Agent-Based Computational Simulation Models in Cross-Cultural Research

Date

2011-05

Authors

Cioffi-Revilla, Claudio

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

SAGE

Abstract

Mel Ember was co-Principal Investigator in the Mason-HRAF Joint Project on Eastern Africa, a multiyear project aimed at developing and analyzing advanced computational agent-based models of human societies across 10 countries and 12 ecosystems. A major unsolved challenge in this kind of social science research is to devise a systematic way to compare, contrast, and communicate different models of social dynamics along relevant dimensions and characteristics, given the inherent complexity of most computational agent-based models. This article proposes a viable systematic framework for comparing models and illustrates its application using some of the models that Mel helped inspire and develop as senior project participant.

Description

Keywords

Agent-based model, Social sciences--Simulation methods, Africa, East, Cross-cultural studies

Citation

Cioffi-Revilla, Claudio, Comparing Agent-Based Computational Simulation Models in Cross-Cultural Research. Cross-Cultural Research 45(2) 208-230, 2011.